Antony Tudor

Tudor, Antony, 1909–87, English choreographer and dancer. Tudor went to the United States at the invitation of the Ballet Theatre, New York City (1939); he danced leading roles and created ballets for several English and American companies and was later the artistic director of the Royal Swedish Ballet (1963–64). He remained the resident choreographer at the American Ballet Theatre until his death. His ballets, influenced by the expressionism of Fokine and Massine, use the modern idiom. In his later work, he used psychological tension and dramatic gestures expressed in the language of ballet to explore human suffering. Among Tudor's most popular works are Lilac Garden (1938), Gala Performance (1938), Pillar of Fire (1942), Romeo and Juliet (1942), Undertow (1945), Offenbach in the Underworld (1955), Echoes of Trumpets (1963), The Leaves Are Fading (1975), and Tiller in the Fields (1978). In all Tudor choreographed 56 ballets, fewer than 20 of which are still commonly performed by various companies.